


The Dangers of Seeing Green

by definitelynotdaniel



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV), Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Genre: Abusive Relationships of all kinds, Blood and Violence, Drinking, F/F, Implied/Referenced Sex Work, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22153111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/definitelynotdaniel/pseuds/definitelynotdaniel
Summary: The year is 1962 and Nashton's Flower shop in the Narrows of Gotham City is finally starting to get more business, all thanks to a very strange and unusual plant on display. But what the unsuspecting patrons don't know is that the newly discovered species has some very specific dietary requirements.
Relationships: Ecco/Ivy Pepper (Gotham), Edward Nygma & Ivy Pepper, Harvey Bullock & Jim Gordon, Oswald Cobblepot & Ivy Pepper, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot/Jim Gordon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	The Dangers of Seeing Green

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Plant Food](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11774130) by [mrgoldsdearie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrgoldsdearie/pseuds/mrgoldsdearie). 



> first of all, I'd like to reiterate that mrgoldsdearie had this idea first, I simply read their fic and thought, "these characters make sense in this setting, I want to write Little Shop but in Gotham too" so then I started thinking about how I would write it, which turned into me pulling an all-nighter to write a prologue. funny how that happens.  
> Secondly, this is inspired more by Gotham than by any other form of Batman, but I did tag "all media types" as well because Gotham denied us HarlIvy, and I wanted some form of it here because Ivy Pepper deserves a girlfriend and Ecco deserves freedom.  
> Lastly, if you want to listen along to the corresponding tracks from the musical/movie, they are included in the chapter titles in (_). okay, that's all for this note, enjoy the madness!

Ed sat in the basement listening enviously as his two co-workers danced to some big band record, laughing and singing while he was stuck working with a stupid plant. Ivy had brought it to the shop from the wholesale district begging Ed to help identify it and, sucker that he was, he had agreed. Looking at the thing, he could admit it was interesting, with a bud that looked almost like a smiling, toothy grin, and thin, curling tendrils that seemed to sense movement, chasing down his pencil as he poked around it. Ed's research had never shown a plant to do that before. He started to poke at it again when Oswald stuck his head down the staircase.

"Hey Ed, Ivy and I are going outside for a smoke, care to join us?" Ed didn't smoke. He hated the smell and the burning it brought about in his lungs, but he had been working since 4am that morning, and it was 7pm now, and...well, if he wanted to see Oswald smile when he said yes, that was his business. He nodded and followed the other man upstairs, trying hard not to read too much into Oswald's grin, or stare too obviously as he walked behind him. 

When the two left the shop, Ivy had already climbed the fire escape going up to the roof. Ed rolled his eyes, knowing this meant she had brought some of her "special" cigarettes. Still, he followed Oswald up the fire escape, sitting next to him on the roof when they finally made it. Ivy had already lit the joint, inhaling deeply before passing it to Oswald. Once again, Ed tried not to stare as his lips wrapped around the rolling paper, at the way his eyes fluttered closed. Oswald sighed a little as he exhaled, passing the joint to Ed. Ed took only a small puff, ignoring Ivy when she laughed at his cough. He passed the cursed thing back to Oswald, eyes stinging, and sat back against the metal AC box before speaking.

"Did anyone come in after my father left?" he asked as he pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes. 

Ivy snorted at that. "No, and no one came in before that either. Nashton really oughta face it, this place is doomed and we're just going with it at this rate," She knelt and crushed out the glowing tip of the cigarette as she spoke, "How'd that date of yours go the other night, Os?" she asked, pointedly not looking at Ed. 

Oswald straightened, clearly a little uncomfortable. "Oh, um, that went fine, Jim's just always a little agitated when he gets home from work... I'd hardly call it a date, since Harvey was there too. He almost always is."

Ed did his best to hide his frown. Obviously the fact that Oswald liked men wasn't off-putting, not to Ed at least, but it was which men that bothered him. He could have handled it not being him if it had also not been Jim Gordon, a cop known around Gotham for being angry and rough with any "low class" inmates, a bill which all three of them could fit should he be antsy for an arrest. Not to mention he was notorious for manhandling his lovers, men and women alike. As for Harvey Bullock... any friend of Jim's couldn't be that great. Ed started to say something, but Ivy beat him to it, as usual. 

"You need to find a man who won't bring work home like that, Oswald. He may be fine sometimes, but eventually, he's gonna be bad for your health." Oswald frowned at that. 

"Ivy, I'm crippled, and stuck in the dirtiest part of this city. There's not much that's good for my health here." 

"I wish I could get us out of here," Ed blurted. Oswald and Ivy looked surprised at him and he started to flush, but he kept talking, "Not just out of the Narrows, but out of Gotham. The three of us could move to some development outside of Star City, and we could go back to school, and Ivy could get a real garden, and, and-" 

"It's a nice dream, Ed," Ivy cut him off, "But I don't think we’re getting out of here anytime soon."

"I don't want to leave yet anyways. I promised my mother I'd be somebody here, and I'm going to, eventually," Oswald agreed with her, but he sighed a little and leaned against Ed's arm, cuddling into him. "It would be nice to get out of this gutter though," he mumbled into Ed's sleeve. All the "calming" effects of Ivy's cigarettes were negated as Ed felt his heart beating faster, the world becoming sharp and clear as Oswald's cologne filled his lungs and brought about a very different high. 

"Hey, Ed, we should probably go make sure we locked up. Wouldn't want to piss off Mr. Nashton, right?" Ivy had stood up, nudging Ed with the toe of her sandal. Ed tried not to be frustrated, knowing she was trying to help, but he couldn't help the disappointed sigh as he stood. Oswald didn't look particularly happy either, but he stood and followed the two of them down the fire escape. When the trio reached the bottom, they said their good night's, and Ed tried not to watch too longingly. Ivy followed his gaze, rolling her eyes and grabbing his arm, dragging him back inside. 

"Was his limp more... pronounced tonight?" Ed asked timidly. Ivy chose not to answer that, choosing instead to go down to Ed's basement dwelling and grab their newest "patient." 

"So, Ed, what's this little guys name?" Ivy put the plant on the counter and boosted herself up to sit next to it.

"That's just the problem," Ed answered, "It doesn't have one. The bud looks a little like that of a venus fly trap, but it's tendrils do something that is practically unheard of, for a plant." Ed demonstrated the plant's tracking behavior with a pen on the counter, letting the small thing grasp at it before tugging it away gently. Ivy cooed at it, picking up the pot and stroking the bud with a fingertip. "I think it may be a cross species between a fly trap and... something else." 

"Little thing is the first of it's kind. Do you know what that means, Ed?" Ed shook his head. "It means we're it's parents, it's discoverers. We get to name it."

"How are we supposed to name it if we don't know exactly what it's made of?"

"Not a science name, Ed-"

"Latin name."

"Whatever. Just a nickname." 

Ed thought for a minute. He looked at the bud, with it's strange, smile-like curve, the taper at the tip of the bud that mimicked a pout. He noted the strange purple hue mixed in with the green, the delicate vines that chased Ivy's fingers. 

"I think we should call it Ozzie Two," Ed decided. Ivy looked at him, confusion smeared across her face, and gestured for him to continue. "Well, you brought it here, and I did the research, so Oswald should be involved somewhere." Ivy didn't look convinced, but she didn't pry, thankfully. 

"You better hope it ends up staying pretty or he may be offended," she commented, jumping off the counter. She handed Ed the flower pot and walked towards the door. 

"Hey, where are you going?" 

"I gotta go home, I told Harley I'd make dinner before she came home." 

"Well, take this thing with you," Ed gesticulated with the flower pot, and Ivy shook her head. 

"No can do, Harley said no more plants in the house. We have to keep it here." 

"Oh, alright, but it has to pay rent," Ed joked, making the girl laugh as she left the building, waving goodbye. 

Ed locked the door behind her, and went about the rest of the chores to get the store ready for the next day. By the time he finished, it was ten o'clock, and he was more than ready to sleep. He grabbed Ozzie Two and made his way back to the basement, setting the pot on the table by his cot. He stared at the plant as he drifted off, thinking back on Ivy’s words and smirking. If the thing grew up half as pretty as its namesake, it'd be lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is very very appreciated because I am always nervous about posting new stuff. (also, hi, i had to fix part of this, so i reuploaded with fixes, oops)


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